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The Credit Card Spending Channel of Monetary Policy: Micro Evidence from Account-level Data

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  • Falk Bräuning
  • Joanna Stavins

Abstract

Monetary policy impacts consumer spending via the effect of interest rate changes on credit card borrowing. Using supervisory account-level spending and balance data, we estimate that a 1 percentage point increase in the interest rate reduces credit card spending by nearly 9 percent and revolving balances by close to 4 percent. Aggregate results are primarily driven by revolving accounts, while we estimate small and statistically insignificant interest-rate elasticity for transaction accounts. Consistent with financial constraints, low-credit-score accounts tend to adjust spending, while high-credit-score accounts adjust balances.

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  • Falk Bräuning & Joanna Stavins, 2025. "The Credit Card Spending Channel of Monetary Policy: Micro Evidence from Account-level Data," Working Papers 25-10, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedbwp:101889
    DOI: 10.29412/res.wp.2025.10
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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